Breaking Titanium
by TheMidwife
Summary: Veld thought his only daughter had died all those years ago, but when fate brings them together and gives them a second chance, he finds breaking through the barriers of betrayal may be like trying to claw through steel with his bare hands. After all, not all things can be salvaged.


Self-loathing.

That had been the driving force, the motivation that had kept Veld running for the last fourteen years. Fourteen years since they died. His family. The people he failed.

Between those years there had been cooperate backlashes, the beginning and end of a war, strife, threats and hidden plots. All subdued and moved into the darkness by the Turks. All under his thumb. All of them had kept him busy, exhausted. They stopped him thinking about the horrible events that took place on that day and the extent that he went to save his daughter.

He immersed himself in work, in Shin-Ra. The Company was his wife and the Turks were his child. He had nothing else. Nothing to live for, but them.

The headache came back and he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. Sometimes in the most quiet and bleakest moments in his office, Felicia's moans of pain and his wife's dying face would invade his thoughts. He could barely remember their faces now. It had been too painful to even keep a scrap of what was left of them.

After his injuries were healed and he was discharged from hospital a month after the Kalm incident, he had thrown away his wedding ring and burned the few pictures of Cecelia and Felicia he kept on his person. They would stay where they belonged, in his memories. And yet even those appeared to be fading now.

"Veld! Veld!" President Shinra's voice brought him out of his thoughts. Veld opened his eyes and widened them in surprise as he observed the Shinra patriarch panting and standing breathless in his office.

"What is it?" Veld asked in genuine concern.

"It's Rufus! The foolish boy. He's hijacked a chopper and taken it to…taken it to…"

"Corel," Veld said instantly. It was the first time he made his verbal condemnation, but it was time the truth came out. President Shinra was no fool.

The old man swallowed hard and nodded weakly.

"Yes, yes that is where he has gone," he said hoarsely. Veld wasn't sure if it was because the President was out of breath or the denial over his son's treachery was starting to come to light.

Regardless, Veld knew that Shinra would not abandon his only legitimate son. Lazard didn't count as he was a bastard and though a traitor like Rufus, hadn't been loved enough for forgiveness. Nor could President Shinra think about that other boy, Evan Townshend, born to slum trash and a child he barely knew. Only Rufus was the future. Only Rufus was the key.

"I'll get him back," Veld promised.

President Shinra gave him a weak smile and slapped him on the back.

"I knew I could always count on you. My oldest friend…"

Veld didn't reply, but the President continued on.

"My son, my only son. I haven't given up hope for him yet. He's so bright isn't he Veld? This is just a little rebellion. He is young and ambitious after all heh."

_Tell yourself that if it helps you sleep at night. _

Veld didn't waste any more time.

* * *

Elfe ran her fingers through her short hair as she continued to brandish her sword. It was more a pass time than actual cleanliness, but she had nothing better to do before they hurt the very heart of Shinra.

They had managed to lead all the Turks on to their base with the help of Rufus and today would be the day that they'd capture those cold bastards and make the few they kept alive spill their secrets to further damage the company. It would be utter chaos. It was something they had all been planning for the last couple of years ever since Sephiroth had foiled their plans back in Junon to destroy Midgar.

"They're here," Shears told her as he stood in the doorway. Elfe spared him a glance and returned to shining her sword. It was a long while before she responded to him.

"Rufus may be coming, but I won't wait if he is not here on time. I care nothing for his grand entrance or him wanting to see the shocked looks on their faces knowing he betrayed them. I just want them out of the way. This will be a public declaration of war. I want them dead and gone."

She had not forgotten the many comrades they had killed over the years especially when that Legend bastard of theirs had bombed their operations base in Wutai. More than half their numbers had been wiped out. She was planning something sinister to befall him and soon.

Shears smirked and sat down near her.

"That can be arranged although I don't think _his highness _would be too pleased."

Elfe shrugged before sheathing her sword.

"It doesn't matter what he thinks. It is in his best interests to support us if he ever wants to ascend to his _throne."_

At that Shears laughed. Elfe knew he had no love for Rufus and she barely trusted him herself, but his money was essential for their plans to save the Planet and that was all that mattered. Regardless, in the end, she had no intentions of letting him rule his father's empire. She'd kill him once he served his purpose and someone more worthy would be put in his place.

Jumping off the crate she was sitting on, she attached her sword to her belt and stared out the door way.

"Let's go."

Elfe went to the main control room in the reactor to find Fuhito mulling over the blue prints of the structure. Up on the camera systems that had been set, she could see the progression of the Turks from different directions.

"They haven't noticed the security feed yet?"

Fuhito nodded in the affirmative.

"Not at all. Then again it was only given out that the leaders were here, not the main base. Everyone is in position and ready to take orders. We just need them all to make it to the foyer. It will be easier to execute them that way. Shooting fish in a barrel."

Elfe nodded although she had no qualms about killing them off one by one.

She clicked the mic she kept in her ear that allowed her to communicate with everyone on base.

"Move out."

* * *

Veld cursed as he hung up his phone and ran inside the reactor. None of his Turks were picking up their phones and he could hear the distant sounds of battle from within. Rufus had already beaten him inside and Veld felt his anxiety rising a hundred fold. What would he do if he found any of his Turks or Rufus killed in the midst of battle? A battle that could very likely turn the tables on the future of Shinra.

Veld made sure all his materia was equipped and embedded in his arm. He was already running with his handgun.

He ran on to the main bridge just in time to see his Turks back to back against each other with Avalanche members above and around them, rifles pointed, ready to end their lives then and there.

_No. _

Rufus was there too although his back was towards him. It was time to strike.

Veld ran forward and kicked the boy in the back of the head before firing up Bolt 2 and aiming it on the upper rails where the Avalanche snipers were. Just as he had expected, the shockwave electrocuted them and the rest of the Turks sprung into action.

"Protect Rufus," Veld shouted to Rude, before Tseng joined him in firing at the surrounding members of Avalanche.

Veld was about to power up another Bolt when a vicious kick to the stomach sent him flying backwards. Tseng fared no better as he skidded into a wall and groaned before managing to role away and stand unsteadily on his legs.

Veld was already on his feet, ignoring the pain blossoming in his abdomen as he stared down at the opponent that had eluded him and his men for years.

"Shears," he spat eyeing the man up and down in deep rooted anger. The Avalanche terrorist merely smirked at him.

"So the Director of the Turks finally shows himself," a cold woman's voice answered.

Everyone's eyes turned towards the woman approaching. Tall, confident and menacing in her footsteps.

Veld's brows furrowed in confusion. This woman…

She looked familiar.

"It's not every day that one is granted the pleasure of killing someone as nefarious as you," she said stopping a respectable distance away from him. Silence ensured and Veld's confusion only grew.

_Those eyes._

_Where have I seen them before?_

Despite his bewilderment, he kept his face impassive and answered her. For a small and thin little thing, she sure had a lot of gall to be speaking to him like that.

"I assure you that you won't have that pleasure," he said simply before aiming.

However he had underestimated her strength and her speed. He fired, but she had already rolled and came close to swipe at him. He jumped and fired bolt, which she reflected. They stared at each other, eyes locked. The Turks had their weapons out and ready to aim as did Avalanche. This was a battle between the two of them. The enemy leaders.

"For an old man, you're not too bad. Hm." The comment was so casual. Almost as if she was playing with him. Veld narrowed his eyes and opened fire, but this girl had the strength of soldier. He remembered this was the same woman that had even managed to block Sephiroth's attack.

He fired again and she deflected with a shield. Some of her soldiers and his Turks had to dodge the ricocheting bullets.

This was getting out of hand.

"Sir," Tseng said. That was the only verbal communication they needed. Tseng was ready to shoot and stop this ridiculous charade. Most warriors would consider it dishonourable, but the Turks did not work by an honour code. They hid in the shadows. Veld nodded his consent, before locking eyes with the leader of Avalanche.

"I believe we should end this little spectacle don't you agree?"

The woman merely smiled at him as disturbing as it was. Cruelty on her face did not suit her at all.

"I agree," she said before she lunged at him.

Tseng attempted to fire, but Shears had anticipated his line of thinking and aimed a punch to his face. Reno jumped out to help Tseng and the rest of the Turks except Rude, rushed to join the battle with Avalanche.

Amidst the chaos, Veld and Elfe continued in a dance of parrying and blocking. Veld was losing and he knew it. He wasn't as young as he used to be and his body quickly became exhausted trying to keep up with her speed and her strength.

"How does it feel now? Knowing that your world is going to crumble and that when I am finished with you, the evil Company you serve will be brought to its knees?"

Veld clenched his teeth in anger. These people…

They were so self-righteous. Neck deep in the blood of more innocents than he had killed and they still feigned that they had a moral goal to complete. It was so hypocritical and so undeserving. To think that these planet crazy religious misfits had caused this much trouble to Shin-Ra.

He hissed as she sliced a sizeable gash into his good shoulder and he failed to hit her with his fist.

"You'll never bring Shinra to its knees. You and your cohorts will never amount to anything." She aimed again, sword swiping with swift deadly blows. Blows he could barely dodge. He hardly had the time to power up let alone shoot her from his gun. A kick in the mouth made him stagger before the hilt of her sword was driven deep into his stomach.

She pushed right against him then. So close he was almost leaning on her and still bothered by the familiarity of her face. Despite his pain, he could see the fierce determination in her eyes. She would destroy Shin-Ra or die trying. But that was how it had to end. Trying.

She wanted him to die slowly and in an attempt to smash her fist into his face, she felt something sharp driven into her back and out through her stomach as Veld moved away. She stared down in shock as the katana was wrenched free and she fell upon her knees.

It was here that Veld stalked up to her and hit her so hard in the face that for several moments all she saw was red as her nose sprayed blood and her lip split. She coughed as another kick was delivered to the wound on her body. She cried out in pain.

"You…You spent so many years causing terrorism and civil unrest!" Another kick. Another blow.

He was punishing her for her many crimes.

He grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and dragged her up, bloodied and all. She had never expected to be defeated. Least of all by a Turk. One of his fucking minions had stabbed her in the back and now she was going to pay for it.

"The people you have killed, the trouble you have caused. All for a mythological belief about the Planet. You make me sick!" he shouted.

In truth, he was taking his anger out on her for the amount of stress he had been under and the deep mess Rufus Shinra had gotten them all into. He never normally used such ruthlessness in battle unless his victim was under interrogation.

But she…

She was the root cause of everything. This civil war.

She coughed up blood and weakly stared at him through heavy lidded eyes.

Silence passed, but it felt like an eternity.

"You did good," she whispered reluctantly.

She laughed, but it was weak and hoarse. She was dying. He threw her to the floor and pulled his gun out. It was aimed at her point blank and she stared at it with detached silence.

She spat out more blood and looked up at Veld.

"I suppose you want to know the name of the woman who has caused Shin-Ra so much trouble all these years?" She rasped through heavy breaths.

She could feel herself starting to slip. Maybe she'd die before he pulled the trigger.

He cocked his gun and snarled.

She answered him anyway.

"_Felicia." _

And the world ended.


End file.
